An Inevitable Conversation
by Phosphorescent
Summary: Another way the Rule #12 talk in "Dead Reflection" could have gone. Tony/EJ and implied Tony/Ziva.


_Disclaimer: I'm only borrowing NCIS' characters, and I promise to put them back right where I found them as soon as I'm done playing. Also, the credit for the premise of this fic lies with the wonderful InherentlyRandom. _

_A/N: __For those of you waiting on the next installment of Operation: Lois Lane, consider this short fic a shippy consolation prize to tide you over. Apparently I can't make progress on the fic that I'm_ supposed__ to be writing, but I can churn out unrelated stuff with ease. Huh. __

_Tag to 8x21: "Dead Reflection," and inspired by InherentlyRandom's review of that selfsame episode. It's heavier on dialogue directly lifted from the show than I'd prefer, but I wanted to keep it believably similar to what actually happened. Besides, unless you've seen the episode recently, it's easy to forget all of the little subtleties of this particular scene if you don't see the original dialogue._

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><p>The second Gibbs hears footsteps on the stairs to his basement, he knows what's coming. (It's been coming ever since he didn't slap DiNozzo in the squad room today. (Really, it's been coming ever since the pert EJ Barrett set foot in NCIS.)) Still, Gibbs chooses to let DiNozzo take the lead and see where he goes with it.<p>

"Hey," DiNozzo says gruffly.

Gibbs gives the man the slightest of nods in acknowledgment, but doesn't look up from his woodworking. He can hear the clink of glass jars from the corner, and then there's a slight thud on the table.

"Whatcha working on?" DiNozzo asks in a would-be-casual tone.

"Wood," Gibbs responds.

No need to fill the younger man in on his suspicions yet.

As he brushes the sawdust off of the wood, he asks, "What's the occasion?"

DiNozzo says, "I thought we could talk."

Ah. No more beating around the bush then.

He works in silence for a little bit longer, then, when DiNozzo doesn't continue, he says, "So talk."

There's the sound of liquid being poured into jars, and the thud of a bottle being returned to the table.

After a few seconds of silence, DiNozzo says, "You know I look up to you, Boss. Learned a lot from you over the last ten years. You've been… a great teacher."

"You got a _point_, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asks, mildly irritated.

After a brief pause, DiNozzo says, "I've always thought that the head slaps were a sign of affection. Today in the squad room, I was expecting one and I didn't… I didn't get it." He hesitates, then asks, "Are you pissed at me?"

Nope. Just frustrated… and disappointed.

"Rule number twelve," Gibbs says simply. And really, that says all that needs saying.

"Never date a co-worker," DiNozzo rattles off promptly.

Gibbs glances up from his woodworking and pins the younger man with a piercing look.

Ya _think_?

DiNozzo chuckles nervously before saying, "Yeah, I know." He smiles as he adds, "She's pretty great, though."

A faint smile twitches at the corner of Gibbs' lips and he returns to his woodworking.

"EJ and I have a lot in common. She's easy to be with, y'know; it's nice, to have somebody to talk to," DiNozzo says, fiddling with his glass. He pauses, then adds, "NCIS doesn't… have any _policy_ against it, y'know, there are married agents –"

"You plannin' on marrying Barrett?" Gibbs asks calmly, looking back up at DiNozzo.

"What?" DiNozzo says in confusion. "No! We're just… it's casual right now. Besides, technically EJ and I… well, we don't work together, we're on separate teams –"

"My team," Gibbs says, putting his chisel down on the table with a clack and looking steadily at DiNozzo. "My rules."

They lock gazes until a ringing interrupts them.

Gibbs picks up his phone and glances at the caller ID. It's Abby. Normally he would answer it, but right now there's something more important going on. He tosses the phone back down onto the table.

"Sleepin' with Barrett's a bad idea," he tells DiNozzo frankly.

"No offense," DiNozzo says, "but my personal life is my business."

Not right now, it isn't.

Gibbs says, "Gonna affect your work."

"No it won't," DiNozzo hurriedly insists.

"It already has," Gibbs informs the younger man. _You just don't know it yet._

"I know what you're thinking," DiNozzo begins.

"Doubt it," Gibbs says.

"You're thinking that I've lost focus, that I've taken my eye off the ball –"

"Not in the way you think," Gibbs says.

"Then what _do_ you mean, Boss?" DiNozzo asks.

Gibbs shrugs and returns to his woodworking, saying, "Always knew I'd need to have this talk with you one day. I just always figured it would be about someone else."

DiNozzo freezes.

"Wh… what do you mean, Boss?" he stutters.

Gibbs _looks_ at him.

DiNozzo knows perfectly well what he means.

"Me and… no!" DiNozzo exclaims, laughing nervously. "Where did you get that idea?"

Gibbs continues staring at him.

"OK, so maybe I've thought about it," DiNozzo admits. "Once or twice. But let's be honest, it was never going to happen."

Gibbs remains silent and continues work on his wood.

"I mean, even outside of all the reasons why we wouldn't work, it would be irresponsible to the team and disrespectful to you," DiNozzo babbles. "And besides, she has a boyfriend."

Gibbs listens patiently and raises an eyebrow at the last comment.

"Uh, not that that matters, since it would never happen anyway," DiNozzo hurriedly adds.

A ringing interrupts the man's desperate nattering.

DiNozzo picks up the phone with relief, glances at it, then holds it out to Gibbs.

The caller ID proclaims that, once again, the caller is Abby.

"It must be important," DiNozzo says, clearly clutching the thought like a lifeline.

Sighing, Gibbs takes the phone and flips it open. "Yeah, Abbs?"

"Gibbs!" she says excitedly. "You're with Tony. I was worried because I couldn't reach you."

"What is it, Abbs?" he asks patiently.

"I've found something, and it's _really_ interesting."

"I'll be right there," he assures her, before hanging up the phone and handing it back to DiNozzo.

"Abby got something?" DiNozzo asks.

Gibbs puts down his tool and grabs his jacket.

As he stands, he looks at his agent, _really_ looks at him.

DiNozzo's grown so much since he first took him on. He's older, now, wiser in many respects. DiNozzo may not realize it, but he's reached the point where he could conceivably balance his work with a real relationship. A point where he could have something more than just flings with unknown quantities like Barrett.

DiNozzo shifts a bit under his scrutinizing stare.

"Just ask yourself," Gibbs says. "Is she worth it?"

"EJ?" DiNozzo asks slowly, frowning.

Gibbs shakes his head ever-so-slightly.

DiNozzo looks distant for a few seconds – he's a few years and a continent away, Gibbs suspects, lost in sand and memories – before saying firmly, "Yeah. Always."

Gibbs nods and heads up the stairs, leaving a pensive agent in his wake.


End file.
